JJ Redick Calls Out Key 2026 Lakers Free Agent for Recent Play

Oct 26, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick makes a call to the bench during the first quarter of the game against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images | Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers are riding high after securing their fifth straight win of the season in an electric clash with the 6-2 San Antonio Spurs.

The Lakers, who are now 7-2, have risen to the second spot in the Western Conference despite missing their highest-paid player.

More news: Lakers’ Austin Reaves Already Drawing Interest From Multiple Teams Ahead of Potential Free Agency

Lakers star forward LeBron James has been absent for the first nine games of the season due to a sciatica injury in his back. James is expected to return to the court in approximately one to two weeks, according to Dan Woike of The Athletic.

In his place, forward Rui Hachimura has had an increased role, and was a major factor in the Lakers' win over Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs on Wednesday.

More news: Lakers Announce Massive LeBron James Injury Update and Possible Return Timeline

After the Spurs opened the fourth quarter up eight points, Hachimura sunk a three-point shot with just over five minutes remaining to cut the Spurs' lead to just two points.

Later, Hachimura took a charge from Wembanyama with 1:40 remaining, leading to the Lakers taking a three-point lead.

'The Two Biggest Plays of the Game'

"I thought Rui made the two biggest plays of the game," Lakers head coach JJ Redick told reporters. "[Assistant coach] Beau [Levesque] and I always joke, it's remakable. He can go eight minutes of a game, which sometimes can be 30 minutes of real time, not touch a basketball — literally not touch a ball — and then just bang a wide-open three. And he made that three, which was huge. And then the charge on Wemby, I looked it up, his eighth charge of his entire career and that, at least in my opinion, was the biggest one yet. So, two big plays from Rui."

Hachimura has 16.7 points and 3.9 rebounds per game so far this season. While his impact doesn't always show up in the box score, the 27-year-old has impressed his head coach so far this season.

With James out, Hachimura told reporters ahead of the season he hoped to be more aggressive. Wednesday's game showed that he is following through on that desire.

“I just gotta be more aggressive,” Hachimura told reporters during the preseason. “With him being out, I can attack the rim more because he likes to post up more so when that happens, I have to be more spaced out. So that kind of stuff I can do more when he’s out. So yeah, it’s just a little different but not much. I just gotta do the same things that I’m supposed to do.”

For more news and notes on the Los Angeles Lakers, visit Los Angeles Lakers on SI.